Thread: Buying a Polishing Hone, but which one?

I need to buy a final polishing hone. Money NOT being an issue, which finishing stone should I buy? Coticule, Naniwa 12k, Shapton 16k? Thuringen? I don't want to go looking for collectible Eschers or impossible to get hones. Currently I am only using a Norton 4k/8k and Green paste on a strop. I don't know if my razors make a difference in the selection but I have a Livi/Takeda, a Livi Bergamo, Livi/regrind, 2 Filharmonicas, 2 Theirs, and 2 Dovos. All are in very good shape.

I would even consider a Japanese natural stone if someone could tell me which one is good. There are way too many available, but I have no clue on these

I can only speak for the Shapton 16k, but that really is a great stone! Smooth finishes, great feedback, consistent and reliable. You wont be disappointed!

http://stores.ebay.com/japanblades

Consider the ohira suita 75-145 usd.

#3 has some length to it. The others are on the short side of "best length for a razor hone" so I am not sure if that would be ideal as your first finish hone.

I would recommend one of the lower cost suita to someone who wanted to know what a nice japanese natural is like but would rather not invest in a full size hone.

Alex was kind enough to send me a couple stones to try, one of which is an ohira suita. Let me quote from his description:"I guarantee 110% money back that this is a true Ohira stone* and a money back guarantee that you will like it, no questions asked."

I have sharpened a couple razors with it, which is why I am suggesting to anyone with 75+ bucks who can use a short stone, to get one. It works like a charm, no wondering about whether it is working or doing anything. That is obvious and it's easy to use even being short because it cuts fast.

We have a member here who can help you. If money is not an issue, I'd go for the Japanese Natural. The member is Old School. He's know's his stuff. Check with him.
That, or an Escher are my two favorite finisher's.

Originally Posted by joes978

I need to buy a final polishing hone. Money NOT being an issue, which finishing stone should I buy? Coticule, Naniwa 12k, Shapton 16k? Thuringen? I don't want to go looking for collectible Eschers or impossible to get hones. Currently I am only using a Norton 4k/8k and Green paste on a strop. I don't know if my razors make a difference in the selection but I have a Livi/Takeda, a Livi Bergamo, Livi/regrind, 2 Filharmonicas, 2 Theirs, and 2 Dovos. All are in very good shape.

Right. So you have number of extremely expensive razors, and you want to start experimenting. We need more people like you here, really, courageous and brave...

Thing is, you will be extremely hard pressed to find anyone in this forum who has used all the hones you mention (plus others that might potentially fit your bill), and is objective enough to pass an expert judgement. I think this sums it up nicely: "Before buying a hone of any type, we recommend that you go through the hones category of this Wiki, in which you will find various articles that should help you decide what your use of a particular hone will be. This should help you determine the right stone(s) for you. Everyone does not need a set of Shapton hones, or a Japanese natural hone. We also want to encourage you to read the threads in the hones and honing sections of the forum that ask "What hone should I buy?", keeping in mind that the vast majority of the members answering these questions are only recommending what they use themselves without being able to compare to alternatives. "

Bit like asking what the best razor is. There is no canonical answer. There isn't even a general consensus that finishing hones are needed at all.

And just for the record, a "Thüringer" hone can be anything from USD 15 stuff for honing cooking knives to ... well, whatever you want to call a water stone from Thüringen with which you can hone razors.

I guess to clear it up I want a hone for keeping my razor sharp. I don't let my razors get dull as it is. I'm just looking for a stone to use between my 8k and my strop/paste. I've got alot of razors so I don't have to sharpen that often anyway. I'm not going to restore a razor either. I will be using this finishing stone far more than my 4/8k so I would like to invest in a good one. And obviously I have expensive razors so I don't want to use a budget hone. So my real question is what is the most reliable currently commercially available finishing hone on the market today

Robin is dead on with the statement above...

Without even picking a hone I can tell you a few things from what you wrote...

You use a N4/8 right now and are shaving which tells me you can hone...
You need a finishing stone that still has a bit of bite, what I mean is a super slick finisher will not have enough cutting power to smooth out the 8k scratches and that is what adding stones is all about...

You basically can go in any direction you want to from the point you are at...the only thing you want to avoid it the super high jump...
An example would be going to a Shapton 30k and not the 16k, off the N8k you would need that step, hope that made sense...(that is not just limited to the Shapton line)

This is still very subjective. This is going to be pure opinion and could be dead wrong. But if you are just going to use paste at the end no matter what, get a synthetic fiisher....

Synthetic:
Naniwa 12k or shapton 16k

Natural:
oh man soo many. i will probably miss some.
Japanese Naturals
Coticule
Escher
Thurigen(sp?)
Charnley Forest

Originally Posted by joes978

I guess to clear it up I want a hone for keeping my razor sharp. I don't let my razors get dull as it is. I'm just looking for a stone to use between my 8k and my strop/paste. I've got alot of razors so I don't have to sharpen that often anyway. I'm not going to restore a razor either. I will be using this finishing stone far more than my 4/8k so I would like to invest in a good one. And obviously I have expensive razors so I don't want to use a budget hone. So my real question is what is the most reliable currently commercially available finishing hone on the market today

Originally Posted by joes978

I guess to clear it up I want a hone for keeping my razor sharp. I don't let my razors get dull as it is. I'm just looking for a stone to use between my 8k and my strop/paste. I've got alot of razors so I don't have to sharpen that often anyway. I'm not going to restore a razor either. I will be using this finishing stone far more than my 4/8k so I would like to invest in a good one. And obviously I have expensive razors so I don't want to use a budget hone. So my real question is what is the most reliable currently commercially available finishing hone on the market today

I guess for synthetic would be 12k Naniwa Super Stone, Shapton Glass 16k or 30k. Then if you want to go into naturals, a high quality Nakayama. I have not used other naturals so I can't comment on them.